On September 11, 2001, our country suffered the most devastating day in the living memory of most Americans. Nearly 3,000 innocent people died in a few surreal, nightmarish hours.
Fifteen years later, it is important to remember that the lessons of 9/11 were not only about terrorism—they were also about how national security leaders analyze dangers on the horizon, how they alert the public to the risk, and whether we are collectively able to act before those risks manifest in devastating fashion.
Before the 9/11 attacks, experts within the government recognized the danger that al Qaeda posed, but most Americans were unaware of the threat—largely because their leaders did not do enough to explain it to them. And despite the threat awareness inside government, few imagined that an al Qaeda attack would kill thousands of Americans, or that al Qaeda would use hijacked aircraft as suicide bombs. – READ MORE
